


Cherry Mint Heart strings

by Podopeng



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Best Friends Huening Kai & Kang Taehyun, Boxer Kang Taehyun, Dance Major Choi Yeonjun, Dance Major Huening Kai, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Honestly every sport except dance is just mentioned, M/M, Pining Kang Taehyun, Soccer player Choi Beomgyu, Taehyun is smart but also not, Tennis player Choi Soobin, Whipped Kang Taehyun, tyunning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23610445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Podopeng/pseuds/Podopeng
Summary: Where Kang Taehyun is being dramatic but also so stupidly in love
Relationships: Huening Kai/Kang Taehyun
Comments: 11
Kudos: 110





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, just wanted to write Tyunning. Also this fic is super simple but I hope it still makes you smile <3

“You what?” Beomgyu jumps, almost knocking his coffee off the table.

They were cooped up in Taehyun and Huening Kai’s dorm for their weekly group study sessions, rewriting their notes. Or at least they were trying to.

“I said I think I have heart problems,” Taehyun replies. His eyes still focused on the reviewer.

It wasn’t anything serious really. He would just occasionally feel this squeezing in his chest. It was kind of similar to heartburn, now that he thinks about it. But he’s watched too many dramas to know that it’s better to tell someone about it before it became something serious.

“Have you gone to a doctor?” Beomgyu gasps, “Are you going to spring some I-secretly-have-a-heart-disease drama shit on me??”

“No,” Taehyun sighs, this hyung was always so dramatic. Thank God, Yeonjun wasn’t here too. “Because it isn’t anything serious” 

Beomgyu raises an eyebrow in disbelief. “Then why do you seem so bothered by it then?”

“How do you know I’m bothered? I’m perfectly calm.” Taehyun retorts, his voice breaking.

“You’ve almost bitten through your pencil.” Beomgyu points at the sad-looking No. 2 in his hand.

Taehyun curses as he reaches for another pencil in his pencil case. “What are you trying to say? Stop trying to say I’m not calm. I’m calm. I’ve never been so calm.” 

There go all of Taehyun’s plans to control the situation.

It’s true that this whole heartburn thing might not be serious but it’s a little nerve-wracking when someone is doing the panicking for you. Or, as he watches Beomgyu slowly slurp the americano he had violently slammed down earlier, assume something else entirely. 

There was a glint in his eye that Taehyun notices right away. A glint that only appears when he’s about to say something dumb. Something Hueningkai related. Thankfully he just shrugs at him, “I still think you should go to a doctor.”

“Listen-”

“Sorry, I’m late!” squeaked a panting Hueningkai as he barges into the room. His skin flushed, probably from running all the way from practice. Although he was supposed to look gross from all the sweat, Taehyun can’t help but admire how glowing he looked. 

Immediately, Taehyun feels his chest tighten.

“Izzayt, haven’t started yet” Beomgyu reassures. He starts to smirk at Taehyun but stops when he notices the way the other tense up. “You alright there, bud?”

“Yeah Hyunnie, you look kind of pale,” Hueningkai says, taking a step closer. Taehyun flinches when he feels Hueningkai’s hand on his cheek.

“He says he’s been having heart problems” Gone was the teasing tone from earlier, replaced by the hyung tone he seldomly uses.

“What???” Hueningkai cries, cupping Taehyun’s face with both of his hands. It was too much for Taehyun. The action only made his chest squeeze tighter that he doubles over. 

“Hyunnie!” Hueningkai yells as he catches Taehyun. 

“Seokjin hyung. Now.” Beomgyu says as he gets up to help the two up. “Taehyun, can you walk?”

Before Taehyun could reply, he is suddenly lifted up and on Hueningkai’s back. 

“Let’s go!” Hueningkai cries without wasting a moment.

Thankfully their school clinic is just a building away from their dorm so it took no time till they’re slamming the clinic door open, making the school doctor choke on his coffee.

“Taehyun is having heart problems!” screeched Hueningkai. The mentioned, on the other hand, hides his face in Hueningkai’s shoulder. 

It’s one thing to be carried, it’s another to be carried while two of your loudest friends scream for everyone to get out of the way. He would never be able to forget the looks he got...

“He-what?” It was Yoongi, the school’s music teacher, leaning casually on Seokjin’s desk as he pats the doctor’s back.

“HE SAID HIS HEART HAS BEEN HURTING” Beomgyu yells.

“I’m having heart palpitations,” Taehyun clarifies while he struggles to get down from the younger who is doing his best to keep him there., “SUPER minor heart palpitations.”

“Okay slow down” Seokjin waves at them to sit down, having recovered from his coughing fit. “Can you explain in detail? Do you have trouble breathing or anything?”

“No I’m fine but I did think it was a panic attack or an asthma attack at first but I could still breathe properly. I was just caught off guard a while ago.”

“Does this happen often? When do these attacks usually happen?”

“It’s not really an attack but it happens every time I-”

Huh.

“Taehyun?” Seokjin waves a hand in front of Taehyun who was sat frozen.

Seokjin turns Beomgyu who just shakes his head.

“Uhhhh huh” Seokjin muses before standing up. “Alright, everyone who is not the patient, get out.”

“But” Hueningkai protests.

“No buts”

“But-” Seokjin levels him with a gaze with Hueningkai returning with a puppy look of his own.

“He’ll be alright, okay Kai?”

Huening Kai nods begrudgingly, giving one last look at Taehyun, who smiles at him reassuringly before letting himself get dragged out by Beomgyu and Yoongi.

  
  


Seokjin sighs before turning to Taehyun with a clipboard in hand. “So tell me in detail about the palpitations.”

“I just realized something,” Taehyun says, noticeably calmer than a while ago.

“Yes?” Seokjin looks at him over his clipboard.  
  


“I get them every time I’m with Hueningkai. Or rather, every time I see Hueningkai.” Taehyun bites his lip. This was the moment he’d been dreading to ask. “Is Hueningkai bad for my health?”

Seokjin lets out a loud laugh, clipboard lay forgotten on the table, “That depends.”

A feeling of dread hits him, “Depends? Does that mean I can’t see Hueningkai?”

“Jesus,” Seokjin clears his throat, “For a genius, you’re pretty unaware huh Taehyunnie?”

“What do you mean?” Taehyun scoffs, “A doctor shouldn’t say that”

“That’s right because Dr. Kim isn’t needed right now, it’s Seokjin hyungie you need”

Taehyun stares at him.

“You’re not having heart problems, Taehyun.”

“I’m not?”

“Nope” 

“Then why?”

Seokjin shakes his head. “Think about it Taehyunnie, it feels kind of weird spelling it out for you, but think back on when you get those palpitations. What usually goes on in your head?”

“Well…” Taehyun bites his lip in contemplation. “Just anything about Hueningkai. Sometimes even when I just think about Hueningkai, my chest gets all tight.”

Seokjin hums, encouraging him to continue.

“Sometimes how lovely he is. Like how just amazing of a human being he is. Sometimes, I also think about how pretty he is and how much I lo-” Taehyun stops and stares at Seokjin. “I love him”

Seokjin smiles warmly. “You do.”

Taehyun scratches at his chest. The prickly feeling is not overly bad now that he thinks about it...but the feeling isn’t so nice either.

“But does love always hurt this much?”

“Of course,” Seokjin nods, “But it’s also the feeling that makes you the happiest.”

Well, anything Hueningkai is always a good thing but, “What should I do now?”

Seokjin scratches his chin with the pen, “Actually that part is up to you.”

Taehyun hums, “Just to be clear, I don’t have heart issues.”

“Yep,” Seokjin says with a pop.

After a beat of silence. “Actually, let me just take your vitals to make sure.”

  
  
**————**   
  
  


Back at the dorm, Taehyun finds Hueningkai pacing around. His favorite bunny plushie tightly held. His long hair that usually goes straight down, is now frazzled in all directions, while his eyebrows still knit together and his lips are in a pout. 

“Are you trying to copy Beethoven again?” Taehyun chuckles, making the other drop his plushie.

Taehyun laughs breathlessly as he gets tackled onto his bed. His chest is tight again but this time with a warm feeling. After that talk with Seokjin hyung and finally knowing what's behind the palpitations, he realizes that maybe they weren't so bad after all.

“How are you? What did hyung say? I’m sorry I didn’t wait outside Yoongi hyungie made us go back” Hueningkai whines, his voice muffled by the pillow by Taehyun’s shoulder.

“I’m okay.” Taehyun chuckles while patting the other’s back, “Seokjin hyung just told me I need to rest a bit. He even checked my vitals to be sure.”

Hueningkai pulls away and looks at him, his eyebrows still knit together in worry. The sight of Hueningkai hovering over him makes Taehyun’s heart jump. He wants this imprinted on the back of his eyelids.

Clearing his head as fast as he can, he cups his friend’s face and squeezes his cheeks. Taehyun coos at the sight. God, why is Hueningkai so fucking adorable. “I’m okay I promise.”

“Okay.” Hueningkai pouts, obviously unconvinced.

“Sleep beside me tonight Peng Peng? To check if I’m still breathing tomorrow morning?” Taehyun offers.

“Don’t joke about those kinds of thing,” Hueningkai slaps him lightly on the shoulder, “But yes, I’ll go crazy if I don’t get to check you’re alive every few minutes.”

“You never sleep on your own bed anyway”

“It’s because Taehyunnie is the best plushie in the whooooole world!” Hueningkai says while flopping on top of Taehyun again.

“Even better than Molangie?”

“Debatable”

“Better sleep on your own bed tonight,” Taehyun says while making a move to stand up.

“No, wait!” Hueningkai grips him tighter, making them both fall on the bed again. 

“You’re such a baby” _My baby_. Taehyun thinks to himself as he threads his fingers through Hueningkai’s hair. 

For 15 years, Taehyun and Hueningkai had never left each other’s side. He hadn’t really told Seokjin hyung the whole truth. Taehyun knew he loved Hueningkai. He knew that his love for Hueningkai only grew as the years went by. Of course, he loved him. Who didn’t? It was impossible not to.

What he didn’t know, however, was just how much he loved him in a different kind of way. His own heart had to strangle him from the inside just to let him know.

  
  
  
  


**————**

“I think I should confess,” 

“Thank you for the update, Taehyun. I appreciate it but this is the school clinic. We mainly deal with physical ailments and injuries like your friend’s over here.” Seokjin informs him as he disinfects Beomgyu’s scraped knees. “Jesus, Choi Beomgyu, can you at least wear thicker socks. I don’t know how your knees don’t look like a permanent mangled mess”  
  
“Youth,” Beomgyu smirks which quickly disappears when the doctor fixes him with a skeptical look.

“I do wear super thick socks but they just give me rope burn” Beomgyu whines. It was the third time this week the soccer captain had visited the clinic. For actual injuries and not to hangout, mind you. If there’s one thing to know about Choi Beomgyu, it’s his passion. Every game, he plays like it’s his last, and more often than not, at the expense of his own body.

“Maybe it’s because of your dry as fuck skin” Soobin supplies helpfully between a mouthful of chips. “Two words: Petroleum Jelly”

“Language” Seokjin mutters.

It’s Friday. The only day of the week when he and Hueningkai’s schedules didn’t align. Every Friday and Saturday mornings were reserved for morning training while Hueningkai, being a dance major, had to stay till late at night.

However, this semester was the off-season for most of the sports teams. Training wasn't as intense as compared to preseason or regular seasons so that meant Taehyun, Soobin, and Beomgyu were able to go home when the sun was still shining. Not wanting to wait for a long time for Hueningkai to come back home, Taehyun would hang with the two. Usually, the trio would make a beeline to the infirmary right after training. Seokjin, the infirmary doctor, pretends to hate it but they all know he loves the company.

Normally, Taehyun isn’t too fond of Fridays but this time was different. Even though he had managed to get his feelings somehow under control, he still has the urge to faint every time he’s in close proximity with Hueningkai. Being able to catch his breath is something he appreciates. After all, boxing can only take his mind off things for a while before he’s punched right back into reality.

“What’s this about confessing? You got a crush on me or something? Or on Beomgyu?” Soobin asks, mouth still full of food. Looking at him stuffing his face, unconcerned about how he looks, makes Taehyun forgets he’s the university’s esteemed tennis captain. “Or GASP, Seokjin hyung”

Taehyun gives him the finger.

“HYUNG! TAEHYUN JUST FLIPPED SOOBIN HYUNG OFF!” Beomgyu yells, startling the doctor.

“Jesus, I did NOT sign up for daycare.” Seokjin hisses. The veins on his head, starting to pop out from the effort to dab gently at Beomgyu’s wounds.

“So who is it?” asked Soobin, his face covered in chip dust.

“It’s none of your business” Taehyun hisses, trying is his best to sound intimidating, which would succeed if he wasn’t as red as a tomato.

“Is it Hueningkai?”

Taehyun stiffens before he could stop himself. He quickly composes himself but the already present smirk on his hyung's face, however, tells him that he noticed.  
  


“Oh my god, it IS Hueningie!!!” Soobin gasps clapping his hands, making potato chip dust fly everywhere. Beomgyu coughs and swats wildly when some of it gets on his face.

“I never said anything,” Taehyun says eliciting dubious looks from everyone, even Seokjin.

“Am I...really that obvious?” Taehyun grimaces when he is met with tense silence, “Wow, okay. Thanks for giving me a heads up.”

Beomgyu rolls his eyes, “Everyone in South Korea knows except for the two of you,”

“I mean you practically hated me all throughout middle school just because Hueningkai and I hang out a lot,” Soobin shrugs, “It took months for you to even look at me. If that isn’t a dead giveaway, I don’t know what is”

“Oh yeah, the gum issue,” Beomgyu says, looking into the distance, deep in a flashback.

“I didn’t hate you!” Taehyun balks, "I just felt left out! We’ve been over this.”

“Dude remember the Molangie issue? When we accidentally broke Kai’s Molangie doll?” Beomgyu adds, as Soobin nods his head energetically.

“Hueningie forgave us way before you did!” Soobin exclaims, “HE was the one to coax you into forgiving us.”

“Hey, that was valid-”

“Done,” Seokjin says suddenly, jumping up from his chair. He stretches a bit before pointing at the door, “Now leave. All of you.” 

All three of them whine in response only for their cries to fall on deaf ears. Seokjin rubs his temples in exasperation. “For the thousandth time, I love all of you but the infirmary is not a place for social gatherings. Sometimes I think you kids get injured just to have an excuse to stay,” Seokjin mutters as he pushes them out.

“As for you Taehyunie.” Seokjin says after successfully evicting them, “Have faith,” The doctor winks before closing the door in front of their faces.

Faith, huh

The three stare dazedly at the door before a sudden gasp startles them into the present.

“I forgot my shoes!” Beomgyu cries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The university was kind of inspired by Kim Bokjoo's. The sports one. Idk if it's relevant but just wanted to put this out there hehe.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taehyun is tired of seventeen.com

#  **How to Tell Your Crush You Like Them (Without things getting awkward)**

  1. Be confident!
  2. Stay Positive
  3. Set a deadline for yourself
  4. Go for it!



  
  


Taehyun sighs as he closes the website. Great. Just great. Another article telling him to stay positive and go for it. He swears he just might. Out of spite more than anything else.

He just wanted some solid advice on how to confess but Seokjin hyung was busy, so was Jungkook sunbaenim. No way in hell was he asking Soobin, Beomgyu, and Yeonjun. He’d rather go through another 20 articles telling him to stay positive than to admit defeat. He could already imagine the way their impish eyes would light up. 

Taehyun shudders at the thought. He wasn’t that desperate. Yet.

He fumbles around looking for his phone, only to sigh at the lack of new messages. Still no reply from Hueningkai.

After receiving outstanding feedback from his performance from their finals, Hueningkai was immediately cast as the main dancer for his batch’s recital. Taehyun is nothing but proud but he also can’t help but feel a bit upset. Being the main dancer meant longer hours spent practicing, which means more time away from each other. He usually doesn’t mind being alone but he was used to at least some semblance of communication, despite his friend being inept with social media. Honestly, it scares him how selfish he can get. 

He needs his Hueningie.

A ping from his phone brings him back to life. He tuts as he sees the sender’s name only to immediately perk up when he reads the message.

_I got the goods!_

  
  
  
  
  


“Yo, Taehyun!” A girl with short wavy hair shouts from underneath a tree.

Taehyun waves back, a spring in his step as he sees the big package she was holding.

“Thanks, Heeyoung!” Taehyun says giddily. “You’re the best!”

After moving dorms for university, Hueningkai was forced to mail most of his plushies back home and keep only five due to lack of space. Then just last week, he had to throw out two of them when they accidentally got destroyed in the washer. He wouldn’t stop sulking and pouting for a week. 

So of course, Taehyun took it upon himself to order a limited edition version of his favorite plushie. He actually had to thank Beomgyu and Soobin for the inspiration. Talking about Kai’s old molang doll the other day gave him the idea. 

Naturally, he had to ask someone, that weren’t his hyungs, to help him keep it a surprise. He had no other choice but to turn to Heeyoung, an old friend and Hueningkai’s plushie obsession enabler.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you guys were dating,” Heeyoung shakes her head while handing over the package.

Taehyun scoffs indignantly. So everyone _does_ know about his thing for Hueningkai. “Well, that’s what I’m trying to do.”

“FINALLY!!” Heeyoung squeals, shaking Taehyun around, making him almost drop the package.

“Don’t jinx it!” Taehyun hisses, holding a tight grip on the plushie.

“Sorry sorry,” She chuckles, letting go of Taehyun, “It’s just-It’s about damn time.”

Taehyun hesitates, kicking the dirt on his feet, eyes flicking away nervously.

Heeyoung rolls her eyes, “Spit it out,”

“Do you have any...tips? I don’t really know how to go about this.”

“Just go for it, my dude.” Heeyoung answers instantly.

_Oh my god._

“Oh my god, you need to be hired by seventeen.com or something”

“Seriously though! You have nothing to worry about!” Heeyoung stomps restlessly. “Anyway, I have to go. You go get your man, Kang Taehyun,”

“Thanks again, Heeyoung” Taehyun shakes his head as he waves goodbye.

  
  
**————**   
  
  


“Wah, Taehyunnie is so popular” Yeonjun whistles as he and Hueningkai watch their friend from their practice room.

Hueningkai scoffs but immediately masks with a cough.

Today, the dance troupe was using the huge second-floor practice room in the main building. Its floor-to-ceiling windows made it so they could also see everything happening around the campus. Most especially, the confession tree, where Taehyun is now talking to their friend, Heeyoung holding a...

_Wait a minute_ ….He zeroes in on the object in his arms. If that is what he thinks he is, he will eat his foot.

“Man, all the other sports teams have good-looking people but nothing beats the boxing team. Huh, Ningning?” Yeonjun babbles on. “The dance team is still number one, though,”

Hueningkai just scowls in response. What was he doing with Heeyoung and a plushie? _(He knows it's a plushie, he can feel it in his left tiddy)_

It must be the time spent away from Taehyun but Hueningkai feels awfully cranky. He knows that he can’t slack behind when their recitals were coming up but he still can’t help but feel clingy. Except for quick hellos, he hadn’t seen Taehyun since forever. It didn’t help that this was the first time in a while, that he saw his friend. His best friend and his plushie supplier? The sting of betrayal is painful.

“Well, he is pretty handsome. I mean he gets handed business cards like pretty much every time we go out” Hueningkai mumbles, trying to sound nonchalant. Yeonjun chuckles as he hears the pout in the younger’s voice.

“Hey, I do too,” Yeonjun says, puffing up his chest.

“Yes yes hyung” Hueningkai pats him on the head, assuaging him “Hyungie is so handsome.”

“Repeat after me: Yeonjun hyung is the handsomest man alive”

“Hueningkai is the handsomest man alive”

“Yah!” Yeonjun slaps him lightly, then after a brief pause, “But you are pretty handsome too Hueningie”

“Yeah like a young Leonardo diCaprio” 

“Quit while you’re ahead” Kai laughs before falling silent as he continues to watch his friend below “They’re taking an awfully long time, don’t you think?”

“Oh yeah, it’s usually 5 seconds tops. Ten if the person is crying”

Hueningkai hums as he watches along, “That’s kind of mean, no?”

“Jealous?”

“Very.” He admits before coughing uncontrollably, “I mean Heeyoung probably gave him a plushie!” He cries trying to cover up his earlier blunder.

"What a plot twist no? Your best friend and your plushie enabler" Yeonjun chuckles as he ruffles the younger’s hair. “If they do end up together, hyung’s shoulder is ready for you to cry on.”

“I’m jealous about the doll!” Hueningkai cries. He aims a kick at Yeonjun, who dodges with ease and following it up with a b-boy move like the show-off that he is. He sticks his tongue out which the older mirrors before running back to join the other members of the crew.

Hueningkai stays and watches as Heeyoung waves goodbye. It doesn’t look like they’ll end up together. There was no hugging or kissing or hand-holding but…. Taehyun looks happy. 

He hates it. He really hates these negative feelings. It’s ugly. But he can't help it. It’s one of his deepest darkest secrets that he hopes Taehyun will never find out about.

  
**————**

**Hyuka <3**

_Hey, we can have people over! Come watch me~ >3< _

_Watch watch watch meeee~ >3< _

“Hey, careful!” Jungkook yells from behind a punching bag. Taehyun had almost knocked himself out tripping on the punching bags on the ground.

“Sorry sunbae!” Taehyun calls back a little too happily as he raced towards the locker room.

After what seemed like forever, Taehyun was finally going to see Hueningkai. He excitedly opens his locker to find the Molang that he got from Heeyoung. Taehyun had wanted to surprise Hueningkai in person but their schedules just didn't align until today. He didn't want Hueningkai to find it before the surprise, and his hyungs could not keep a secret to save their lives, so Taehyun had decided to stash it in his gym locker. 

He holds onto the molang tightly. Running at top speed towards the dance crew’s practice room.

  
  
  


Once inside, he finds the dancers are already in formation. Hueningkai hasn’t noticed him yet.

The moment he sits down, as if on cue, the first beat drops, Taehyun’s jaw along with it.

It’s been a while since he had seen Hueningkai dance. He had forgotten how he would transform into a completely different person. How every single one of his movements connected with the beat, like he was completely part of the music. And his facial expressions….wow his expressions. He had always found Hueningkai breathlessly attractive but Hueningkai’s expressions when dancing was something else.

Hueningkai truly is a gem born just once in a lifetime. And he is lucky enough just to be born in the same year and blessed to have him as his life-long friend.

The last beat drops and silence, broken only by the sound of clapping. It takes him a moment to realize that it’s coming from him. 

He bows apologetically to the crew who laugh as they indulge him and bow in return.

“How was it? Was I amazing as always, Taehyunnie?” Yeonjun asks, eagerly making his way towards him with a Hueningkai hot on his heels. 

“You were amazing, Hyuka,” Taehyun says a little breathlessly. His eyes trained only on one person.

  
“You were amazing hyung,” Yeonjun supplies, trying to mimic Taehyun’s way of speaking.

Hueningkai smiles sheepishly at the attention. “Thanks, Hyunnie,” Hueningkai says while shyly squeaking at the floor with his shoe. 

Yeonjun waves his arms around to no avail. The older huffs before going back to rejoin the rest of the dance team. Squeezing a low, “ _Just get together already,_ ” 

“Ice cream?” Taehyun suggests, pointedly ignoring their hyung.

Hueningkai widens his eyes and clamps his hands over Taehyun's mouth.

“Did I just hear ICE CREAM?” Jimin shouts, trying to cut a path towards the two of them. Hoseok laughs cheerfully as he grabs him at the waist, hindering him from chasing the two.

“No Jimin hyung! Wow, would you look at the time, Taehyunnie and I have to study bye bye, everyone!” Hueningkai nervously laughs, dragging Taehyun out of the room. Then running until they’re out of the building and onto the market avenue on their campus, the well-known street food alley inside their university.

“You guys still on that no-sugar diet?” Taehyun pants as they make their way to the ice cream truck.

“Isn’t the boxing team on a stricter diet?” Hueningkai retorts. He leans against the side of the truck while Taehyun looks over the menu.

“I’m feeling cherry today,” Taehyun hums, ignoring the statement.

“Mint Choco for me,” Hueningkai giggles. He pokes the big package on Taehyun’s back, “Are you trying to hide a dead body, what the hell is that?”

Taehyun swats his hand away, “Oh my god, stop it. They have 31 flavors and you always just go for the same one. The worst one, might I add.”

Hueningkai laughs as he hands over the money to the cashier. He startles when Taehyun pushes his hand away, shaking his head. “My treat today.”

Hueningkai whistles. “What’s the occasion? Is this your way of asking to be my sugar daddy?”

“Oh my god, shut up,” Taehyun shoves at him playfully “Just a small reward for doing really well. Speaking of-” He hands the big package over to Hueningkai who takes it gingerly.

“This is too light for a dead body but I’m still kinda scared.”

Taehyun just rolls his eyes before heading towards their usual spot, a picnic table under the big pear tree, leaving Hueningkai to follow him. 

Being in an escalator school, Taehyun knows that most things stay the same but it was still surreal to see this particular spot remain untouched. It’s been here since they were in kindergarten but not many really choose to sit there. The stories of pears dropping on people's heads one time too many, scared them all off. They had plenty of close calls too but they just stuck it out. The two of them were many things but a quitter is not one of them. 

Besides, this was the best spot to watch the sun go down. It was like their little world away from their world. A small pocket HueKang world for the two of them.

“Another confession huh?” Hueningkai says between bites.

Taehyun coughs, almost choking on his ice cream “I’m sorry, what?”

“I saw you the other day, with Heeyoung.” Hueningkai supplies, his voice a bit strained.

“Oh yeah!” Taehyun snaps his fingers excitedly, frantically gesturing at the package. “I got her to order me that-Wait no, I’m going to spoil the surprise. Open it!” 

Hueningkai raises an eyebrow but rips the packaging nonetheless. He gasps when he sees the familiar molang plushie staring at him.

“This-It-You- Wow,” Hueningkai says breathlessly, “This is-”

“Limited edition! I know” Taehyun cries as he waves his arms excitedly. "You were really sad about Dol-green and dol-pink so I decided to get you a big molang to make up for them."

Hueningkai buries his face on the plastic-covered plush to cover the growing redness of his face, “You’re really something, Kang Taehyun.”

Taehyun smiles sheepishly, this was it, this was his chance. “Hyuka I-” He freezes when Hueningkai looks back up at him. His eyes, warm and gentle, glittering under the setting sun. It was enough to take Taehyun's breath away. Every word that Taehyun knows is thrown out of the window, “Your ice cream is melting.”

Hueningkai yells in horror as he tries to lick the melted ice cream, getting some on his mouth.

_You are an idiot, Kang Taehyun._

“I don’t know how you can stomach that flavor.” Taehyun grimaces as he swipes at Hueningkai’s bottom lip and then licking the excess off his thumb. If Taehyun had looked at Hueningkai at the exact moment, he would have seen the blush on the other’s face.

Hueningkai waves his hand dismissively. “What were you about to say?”

“I can’t focus on anything when you’re literally eating toothpaste right now” If there was a god for procrastinating, Taehyun would have usurped him by now.

“You’re such a child!” Hueningkai huffs, his cheeks puffing up. “Just try it once and I swear it will change your mind!”

“Really?” Taehyun says unconvinced. He shakes his head, “Dude, you still eat like a kindergartner.”

“Ha ha ha, at least I don’t try to change the subject _but_ in order to protect Mint Choco’s name I’ll indulge you.”

“Wow, so kind. Kai is for kind everybody.”

“Just try some! The last time you had it was the 2nd grade!” Hueningkai pouts as he holds out the ice cream for Taehyun.

Honestly, he doesn’t know what comes over him. Instead of the ice cream cone held out in front of him, Taehyun chooses to close the distance between their lips before he could stop himself.

Soft and warm, everything that Taehyun had imagined and more. It was dangerous how quickly he was getting addicted to the feeling of Hueningkai's lips on his. If he only he could stop the time, if only they could stay that way forever.

Taehyun gently moves his lips, wanting more. He feels Hueningkai stiffen before eventually melting into the kiss. That woke something in Taehyun and he feels his hand unconsciously reach out and rest on the other's nape and pull the other closer. He just can't get enough. Hueningkai. Hueningkai. Hueningkai. His mind, his heart, and his soul was only filled with Hueningkai. 

His tongue finds its way out and tastes Mint Chocolate. As if burned, he pulls away, not daring to look at Hueningkai.

Taehyun has always been a straight-A student. Hell, he’s part of the top 10% in the country. That’s how he knows that this was probably the stupidest thing he has ever done in his life. He could practically hear their 15 years of friendship being flushed down the drain.

The silence was deafening. All Taehyun could hear was the cacophony of thoughts in his head. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!!

“I meant to taste the ice cream from my cone but okay,” Hueningkai says, breaking the silence.

“I’m sorry,” Taehyun tries and tries to make more words come out of his mouth but to no avail. He knows he should say something else. Anything! But they sit in benign silence instead, their ice cream untouched and dripping down their hands.

It wasn’t until a loud sob that Taehyun whips his head to look at Hueningkai.

“Taehyun that was a really mean joke,” Hueningkai rubs his face with his clean hand “That kind of thing, kissing me. That was really mean”

Hueningkai glares at him and Taehyun feels a chill down his spine. He could feel his heart stop. He has seen Hueningkai angry, of course, he has but he had never seen this look directed _at_ him.

“15 years!” Hueningkai screams as he throws his ice cream to the ground.

“fi-fifteen?”

“I’ve been in love with you for 15 years. Ever since you came up to me and helped me build a stupid rice cake in that stupid sandbox back in kindergarten.”

“Hyuka-”

“Don’t you Hyuka me! Doing this thing. So suddenly! Even as friends! It’s not alright!”

“I’m sorry” Taehyun hiccups, belatedly registering the tears on his face, “I didn’t mean to-I just - I just.”

“What? You didn’t mean to? You thought it was just some good ol’ fun with your bestie Kai?”

Taehyun shivers. Kai never ever refers to himself so formally. 

“Good joke, Taehyun. I guess that’s all I’ll ever be to you,” Hueningkai shakes his head, slowly walking away.

_He’s leaving._

“Kai wait!” Taehyun grabs Hueningkai’s hand, tightening his grip when he feels the other trying to shake him off.

“I’m done Taehyun!”

“I love you”

Hueningkai whips around so fast that Taehyun flinches. Slowly, Hueningkai lets his arm go limp, staring blankly at Taehyun who is still trying to calm down. “I love you,” Taehyun says again, between hiccups.

“Stop fucking with me,”

“It’s not a joke, Hyuka.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry I’m such a mess. I’m so sorry Ningning” Taehyun cries, furiously wiping away at his face while holding onto Hueningkai’s arm for dear life. 

He only notices the distance closing between them when something wet rubs at his hand. It was a wet wipe that Hueningkai procured from his bag. A habit he had ever since they were kids since he hated getting his hands dirty.

“Your hands are sticky,” Hueningkai says calmly as he gently wipes at the stains on his hands.

Taehyun, on the other hand, is still sobbing as he watches Hueningkai gently clean his hand. 

“Did you know,” Hueningkai chuckles quietly, “A lot of people mistake me as the crybaby between us?”

Taehyun tries his best to glare at him but fails when his chest racks up hiccups. "I’m sorry,” He says instead.

“It’s okay,” Hueningkai whispers as he wipes his own hands and begins to clean up after them. “You owe me a cone though”

“Okay,” Taehyun says quietly. “Can I...try again?”

Hueningkai closes the distance between them, resting his forehead on Taehyun’s. Taehyun feels that familiar squeezing in his chest. 

He takes a deep breath before looking straight into Hueningkai’s eyes.

“I like you. A lot. Like romantically— Fuck I—I’m really am bad at this”

“No, you’re doing really well, please continue”

“I like you, Kai. I love you. I think I always have been. In love. With you. I’m sorry it took me a while to realize it. I’m sorry I ever made you feel like your feelings were invalidated. And if you hate me now, I’ll understand and-” 

“Shut up,” Hueningkai mumbles before pressing their lips together again. “I like you too, dummy. I love you. Always. Have.” Hueningkai says, kissing him at each pause. 

Taehyun stares at him in disbelief. Slowly, registering the turn of events.

“Uhm, cool.” he concludes.

“Dude, you are SO bad at this.” Hueningkai groans, dramatically placing a hand on his forehead.

“We’ve already established that. Please just shut up and hug me”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“So let me get this straight. Your heart palpitations were because of your huge crush on me.

“Okay let’s not rub it in”

“I just can’t believe that the great Kang Taehyun-Oh my god, you were Nicholas Sparks-ing because of your crush on me”

“Stop it or I’ll uncrush you”

“You wouldn’t!”

“I wouldn’t I mean I’m already in love with you”

“I love you too, Hyunnie”

“I love you too my noisy Pengpeng”

After a beat of silence.

“Mint Chocolate is still gross though.”

He gets a plushie to his face.

  
  
  
**————**

**Cherry Terry <3**

I only like mint chocolate if it’s on your face

Are you a dog

**Cherry Terry <3**

I can be your dog

Oh my god, the loml is a furry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's super short but I hope you guys like it ehehe  
> 


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